The Interactive Surfaces and Spaces (ISS) track of PACMHCI is the premier publication venue for research on the design, development and use of new and emerging interactive surface technologies and interactive spaces. We welcome original, high-quality research that advances the state-of-the-art for interactive surfaces and spaces and across a wide variety of domains including design, software, hardware, understanding of use, and applications or deployments of such interactive systems.


** Topic Areas **
Contributions on a wide range of topics relating to interactive surfaces and spaces as well as novel interface technologies are welcome, including (but not limited to):
- Large display interfaces and multi-display environments
- Gesture-based interfaces (hands, finger, body)
- Multimodal interfaces
- Tangible user interfaces
- Novel interaction techniques and paradigms
- Interaction with mobile and body-worn devices
- Different materials and form factors: curved, sand, water, …
- Interactive 3D spaces (Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, mid-air displays, …)
- Large scale and outdoor interactive spaces (projected interfaces, drones, …)
- Interactive architecture
- Beyond traditional surfaces: shape-changing and actuated surfaces, body-related
- Interactive information visualization/data presentation
- Software engineering methods and frameworks
- Social aspects and protocols related to interacting with surfaces and spaces
- Interactive surfaces and spaces that support group work or social interaction
- Hardware, including sensing and input technologies with novel capabilities, and results from maker communities
- Human-centered design and methodologies related to interactive surfaces and spaces
- Empirical evaluations of novel interactive surfaces and/or spaces designs
- Evaluations of deployed interactive surfaces and/or spaces in specific domains (public spaces, education, science, business, entertainment, health, art, homes, etc.)


** Paper Submission Information **
No minimum or maximum length is imposed on papers. Rather, reviewers will be instructed to weigh the contribution of a paper relative to its length when making decisions about acceptance and revisions. Shorter, more focused papers will be reviewed with the expectation of a small, focused contribution. Papers whose length is incommensurate with their contribution will be rejected.
We recommend a page length in the new format of between 5-15 pages + any additional pages for references. Typical papers are under 8,500 words.

Submissions must be anonymized.


** Publication model: PACMHCI journal **
Full papers are selected using a refereed process, meeting the ACM's highest requirements for rigorous review by the ISS Editorial Board, its associate editors, and peer experts.
The review process takes place twice annually.
Papers accepted in any round of submission will be published in the Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (PACM HCI), https://dl.acm.org/journal/pacmhci.

Accepted papers are invited to present at the ACM ISS 2026 conference in Turin, Italy, November 23 to 26, 2026.


** PACM HCI ISS Special Issue Track Chairs for 2026 **
Frederik Brudy, Autodesk Research, Canada
Ahmed Sabbir Arif, University of California, Merced, USA
Fateme Rajabiyazdi, University of Calgary, Canada

If you have questions about papers for this special issue, please contact the PACMHCI ISS Track Chairs at papers2026@iss.acm.org